Spring bed-bottom



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. B. HOWARD.

SPRING BED BDT'I'OM.y l No, 274,331. Patented Ma.1.20,1883.

(No Model.) 3 sheets-Sheena.

H. B. HOWARD.

SPRING BED BOTTOM.

No.. 274,331. Patented Mar. 20,188/3.

UNITED l STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE B'., HOWARD, OF BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,331, dated March 20, 1883. Application filed `January 13, 1883'. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE B. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Belvidere, in the county ot' Boone and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of bedbottoms known as invalid-beds,in which the head portion is made vertically adjustable.

lhe object of this invention is to produce a bed having a head portionA capable of an upward-inclined adjustment to any probable required angle without materially changing the length of the mattress-bearing surface; and my invention is especially adapted to that class of bed-'bottoms known as the wovenwire mattress, in connection with which I Y have .represented my improvements in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a plan view of a woven-Wire-mattress bed-bottom. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a frame of my improved' bed-'bottom fitted to receive the woven-wire mattress.` Fig. 3 is a lengthwise vertical section. Fig. 4 `is a side elevation of the head portion, in which a portion of the side rail is broken out to reveal the outer face of the raised head. Fig. 5 is an end elevation with the head portioniraised. Fig. 6 is a section of one side cut on dotted line w.

In the gures, A represents side bars or beams of a bed-bottom,rectangular in section and ot' proper length, suitably separated and fixed in their relative position at their head ends and central position by means of transverse barsB and C, securely fixed to their under edges, and at their foot ends by means of a two-part end bar, D, securely Xed to their upper edges. This twopart end bar, D, receives the foot-end portion of the Woven-wire mattress E between its contiguous edges, where it is securely fixed by firmly joining the two parts of the end bar to each other by nails, screws, or otherwise.

At a are represented curved ratchet-bars provided with a series of holes, b, throughout their length, formed in a recess between the iian ges c and d, whichprojectinward from the perforated plate. These curved ratchetbars are fixed to the inner sarface of the side rails at a proper point on the head-end side ot' the center transverse bar, C.

` ratchet-bars.

At F are represented the side beams of the hinged head-end portion ot' the frame.

At H is represented a two-part end bar, between the contiguous edges of which is Iixed the head-end portion ot" the Woven-wire mattress E, in the same manner and for the same purpose that the foot end of the woven-wire mattress is fixed between the contiguous edges of the two-part end bar, D. This two-part end bar, with thewoven-wire mattress in place, is securely xed to the upper surface of the head end portions ofthe side bars, F, ofthe hinged head-end portion ofthe frame. To the end portions ot' the vside bars, F, on their under edges, are fixed transverse bars K and L, which, in connection with lthe sides and end bar above described, produce the adjustable head-end frame of the bed.

At c a-re represented foot-platesprovided with grooved socket end arm, h, adapted to receive and support a suitable detent to engage the holes in the curved ratchetbars. These plates are fixed to the outsides ot the lower ends of the side bars, F, and are provided with a roller, i, adapted to engage the inner flange, c, of the curved ratchet-bars. The rollers t' rest and roll upon the ratchetbars,by which means the head-frame is supported by the curvedy plates or ratchet-bars, and are braced and allowed to assume various angles with the bedbottom. t

At It are represen ted lever-detente of thepeculiar form shown, having a hook-end detent, t', adapted to freely enter and move endwise in the grooved socket of the end arm, h., and are of sufficient length to extend through the socket and enter the holes b in the curved by means of a staple or staple-formed hasp, on, which spansthe arm of the lever at its fulcrumangle in such a manner `as to hold it in position and permit it to vibrate on its fulcrnmsupport. 'Ihe free ends of these detent-levers are provided with a springm, employedto hold the detent engaged with the ratched bar.

At N is represented a lever having a pivotal connection with the transverse bar L and rodconnections o,witl1 its inner end, and with the lever-detcnts in such a manner that a movement of its free end will operate to dsengage the detents from the holes in the curved ratch- These lever-detents are ixed inv position on the inner face of the side bars, F,

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2 arrasar et-bars. This lever N is supported on the upper side of the transverse bars K and L of the adjustable head-frame, and is supported to move laterally in a ,f. 1,uideloop,p,` on bar K,

and its free end extends over the headend 'thereof pivot-jointed to the outside of the side bars, and the other ends thereof having a pivotconnection with the inner side ofthe head-end portion of the side beams ot' the main frame. The end portions of these braces P, which are connected with the side beams of the main frame, are provided with a series ot' holes, by

means ot' which the braces may be shortened,l

which Will carry the adjustable head-frame farther toward the head end ot' the main frame and Will-increase the` tension on the wovenwire mattress.`

At s is represented a spirally-coiled wire looped into the coils of the Woven-wire mattress, on its under side, extending crosswise thereon in position., to receive the chainlinks t, or other suitable links, at proper intervals t0 connect the Woven-Wire mattress to the center transverse bar, O, of the main frame.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a movement of the free end of the lever N in the direction indicated by the arrow Will operate to disengage its free end from the hookcatch, and by means of its rod-connections with thelever-detents will disengage the hookdetent ends from their connection with the ratchet-bars, when the head-frame will be free and can be raised to any angle Within the limits ofthe devices, and when the head-frame is raised to the angle or position desired, by liberating the free en'd of the lever N the springs u will cause the hook-'detent ends lof the detent-levers to engage or enter the holes in the ratchet-bars and hold the headtrame in its elevated position. In this construction and arrangement the curvature of the ratchetbar and the proportionment of the parts are such as to hold the tension ot' the Woven-Wire mattress substantially the same at any angle or point of elevation within the limits of the devices to which the head-frame may be adjusted.

In the foregoingl have represented my improvements in connection with a Woven-Wire mattress, to which it is especially adapted; but myimproved adjustable head-frameis capable of use in connectionl With other forms of spring or flexible bed-bottom.

I claim as myiuvention-J o 1. The combination, with the main supporting-frame provided with curved ratchet-bars, of a head-supporting framemade vertically adjustable, said head-supportin g frame having a pivotal and linked connection with the main frame by means ot' side braces, and its lower end having a detent connection with the curved ratchet-bars, below its pivotal connection with the side braces, substantially as and yfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the adjustable head-frame, the side braces or links to which the head-frame is pivoted, and the curved ratchet-bars xed to the main frame, of a supporting-roller mounted upon the adjustable head-frame, below its pivotal connection to the side braces, to engage the stationary curved ratchet-bars, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination oi' the mainframe, the adjustable head-frame, the pivoted side-brace links, the stationary ratchet-bars, the rollers secured to the Alower end ot' the head-frame, to rest upon the ratchet-bars, and the detent to engage the ratchets,substantially as set forth. v

4. The combination, with the main frame, and with a vertically-adjustable head-frame,'of a liexible oran elastic mattress, said mattress having a suitable end connection With the main frame and with the adjustable headframe, and a central transverse connection with the main frame at a point independent of the connection of the main and head frames, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the spring-actuated detents employed to engage the ratchetbars, otl a lever to simultaneously disengage the spring-actuated detents, arranged upon opposite sides of the frame, substantially as and for the purpose set fort v 6. The combination; with the detent-operating` lever and main frame, of va catch-hook to receive the free end of the lever to x the adjustable head-frame in a horizontal position, for the purpose set forth.

HORACE B. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

A. D. BEHEL, JACOB BEHEL.

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